System of house-wiring.



No. 765,904. PATBNTED JULY 26, 1904.

' J. W. A. RIGHARDSON.-

SYSTEM OF HOUSE WIRING. IAIPLIOATION FILED um. 14, 1904. N0 MODEL. ssn5ms-snnm 1.

Inventor Witnesses wzWMz@-- B r 1 V I Attorney N5. 765,904. PATENTEDJULY 26, 1904.

1 J. w. A. RICHARDSON.

SYSTEM OF HOUSE WIRING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1904.

- N0 MODEL.

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Witnesses Inventor Attorney No. 765,904. PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

' J. W A. RICHARDSON.

SYSTEM OF HOUSE WIRING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 N0 MODEL.

Witnesses I Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. A. RICHARDSON, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

SYSTEM OF HOUSE-WIRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,904, dated July 26,1904.

I Application filed March 14, 1904. Serial No. 198.132. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

, Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. A. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in-Systemsof House- VViring; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in house-wiring systems.

The object of the invention is to provide a system or arrangement ofmain-wire conduits so constructed as to be invisible, but in which readyaccess may be had to any part of the wires contained therein.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of outlet or distributingboxes in connection with said main-wire conduits from which branch-wireconduits may be run in any direction to side or ceiling brackets,switches, or other points of service.

A further object is to provide a main-wire conduit in which separatepassages are provided for positive and negative wires and, if desired,an additional passage for low-potential wires, such as telephone, bell,or signal wires.

Still another object is to provide a system of distribution orarrangement of main and branch wire conduits and outlet or distributionboxes which will materially reduce the cost of installing the sameeither in' houses already constructed or in the course of construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional viewthrough aportion of a house, showing the generalarrangement of theconduits and distribution-boxes. Fig. 2 is a similar sectional viewtaken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged 'adistributing-box, showing the arrangement of the parts at the junctureof the side wall and ceiling; and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing theconstruction and arrangement of the parts at the base of the side wallsadjacent to the floor. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the conduit shownin Fig. 3 with the cover-piece removed, showing how access may be had tothe wires.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a strip whichis arranged at the top of the side walls of a room adjacent to theceiling. In the face of the strip is formed a series of longitudinalpassages or channels, forming conduits in which are disposed the mainwires of the system. In the passage 2 at the upper edge of the strip isarranged all low-potential wires 3, such as telephone, signal, or bellwires. In the passages or conduits at are arranged all positive wires 5,and in the conduits 6 are arranged all negative wires 7 of thelighting-circuit of the system, so that the wires of each class areseparated from those of the other in channels or passages of their own,and as many circuit-wires as desired may be arranged in the conduits.

On the outer face of the strip 1 are arranged covering-strips a and 6,which are adapted to be removably secured to the strips 1 by screws orotherwise to cover the passages therein. The cover-strips a are arrangedto cover the passages in which are disposed the light-circuit wires,while the cover-strips Z) are arranged to cover the passage in which aredisposed the low-potential wires. These coverstrips are arranged so thateither may be removed independently and without disturbing the other,thus permitting access to either the high or the low potential wireswithout uncovering the other.

At the base of the side walls adjacent to the floor are arranged strips8, in which are formed passages or conduits 4E and 6', in which aredisposed the positive and negative wires of other light orhigh-potential circuits.

On the outer face of the strips 8 is removably secured cover-strips c,the lower edges of which are rabbeted, as at (Z, to enter a groovedretaining-strip e, secured to the floor or to the base of the strip 8.This grooved strip serves not only to retain the cover-strips 0, butalso to prevent the entrance of water into the passages or conduits ofthe strips 8.

The base-strip 8 and the cover-strip 0 of the same are adapted to takethe place ot'the ordinary mop board, while the ceilingstrips and coversa and a of the same form an ornamental cornice for the room.

The passages or conduits in the strips 1 and 8 are coated with asbestosor with fireproof paint and are of suflicient size to accommodate anumber of circuit-wires.

At a convenient place in the house, but prefextend and where any or allof said main Wires may be switched onto or connected to saidsupply-wires.

At such points in the conduit-strips as may be desired arearrangedoutletor distributing boxes 9, which are preferably rectangularin shape and formed of metal. .These boxes are secured to the innersidesof the strips 1 and 8 by screws orother fasteningmeans and project intorecesses in the walls or between the thicknesses of thesame. In the saidstrips 1 and 8 in front of each box are formed openings 10, whichcommunicate with the boxes, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:.

In each side of the boxes 9 are formed openings 12, with which areadapted to be connected the ends of branch conduits 14. Such of theholes 12 as are not connected with the conduits 14: are closed byremovable plates 13. The ends of the conduits 14 may be connected withthe holes in the boxes in any suitable manner, but are here shown asconnected by providing an apertured plug 15, having a head 16 and athreaded stem 17. i The stem of the plug is adapted to be passed throughone of the holes 12 in the box, with the head of the same engaging theinner wall of the box. A jam-nut 18 is then screwed onto the threadedshank against the outer wall of the box, thereby securing the plug inplace. The ends of the conduits are interiorly threaded, and into saidthreaded ends are screwed the threaded stems of the plugs, therebyconnecting the branch conduits with the boxes.

The branch conduits let are preferably in the formof tubes and areconstructed of metal or other suitable material and may be run in anydirection through the walls either between the thicknesses of the sameor embedded in the plaster. These conduits extend from the outlet ordistributing boxes 9 to such places in the ceiling or side Walls of theroom where it is desired to use the current and where said conduits areadapted to connect with auxiliary outlet-boxes 20, which are similar inconstruction to the outlet-boxes 9, and to the boxes 20 are connectedthe side brackets and ceiling-chandeliers for the lights. Through thebranch conduits 14 are run the feed-wires 21, which enterthe boxes 9 atone end and are passed through the openings 10 in the rear walls of thestrips and are connected with the positive and negative wires of themain line. The opposite ends of the feed-wires enter the boxes 20, wherethey are connected with the chandelier or bracket Wires (not shown) orwith a switch.

In an arrangement of main and branch conduits and distributing-boxes asis herein shown and described it will be seen that a system of wiringisprovided by which high and low potential conductors may be run inseparate passages to any part of a building and the current distributedfrom the same to such place where it is desired for use.

The arrangement as herein described also permits ready access to anypart of the wires, so that repairs may be easily made to the same.Furthermore, the construction described permits the use of the system innonfireproof as well as fireproof buildings, and in installing the samein completed buildings it is not necessary to disfigure or injure thewalls, and after the parts are in place the same may be decorated toconform with the color scheme of the rooms and will afford an ornamentfor the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings,

the construction and operation of the invention will be readilyunderstood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstructioninay be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In house-wiring systems of electrical conductors, the combinationwith main-wireconduit strips, of separated passages arranged in saidstrips for positive and negative wires, means for covering saidpassages, distributing-boxes connected to the inner sides of saidstrips, outlet-holes formed in said strips and I connecting with saidboxes, branch or feed wire conduits communicating with said boxespendently-removable cover-strips for the passages of said high-potentialcircuits, and said low-potential circuits, distributing-boxes secured tothe inner side of said conduit-strips, and branch or feed wire conduitsconnected to said distributing-boxes whereby the current may beconducted to the ceiling-chandelier, or side brackets, lights, switches,or other places of use, substantially as described.

3. In house-wiring systems of electrical conductors, the combinationwith main-wireconduit strips, of separated passages arranged in saidstrips for positive and negative Wires, means for covering saidpassages, distributing-boxes connected to the inner sides of saidstrips, outlet-holes formed in said strips and connecting with saidboxes, outlet holes formed in said boxes, headed apertured plugs, havingthreaded stems arranged in said holes, jam-nuts screwed on said stemsand against the outer wall of said box to hold said studs in place,branch or feed wire conduits adapted to be screwed onto the threadedstems of said plugs, whereby the same are connected to said boxes, andsimilarly arranged and con nected distributing-boxes disposed at theopposite ends of said branch conduits, substantially as described.

4. In house-wiring systems of electrical conductors, the combinationwith ceiling and base main-wire-conduit strips, of separated passages orconduits arranged in said strips in which are disposed the positive andnegative wires, of light or other high-potential circuits, and a conduitfor low-potential wires, independently-removable cover-strips for thepassages of said high-potential circuits and said low-potentialcircuits, means for preventing the entrance of Water or the like intothe conduits of said base strips, distributingboxes secured to the innerside of said conduit-strips, and branch or feed wire conduits connectedto said distributing-boxes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH W. A. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

WALTER M. GATES, ALFRED HAMMANN.

